Tourniquet



May 8, 1934. COHEN 1,957,992

TOURNIQUET Filed Sept. 27 1932 mechanism.

' 45 invention.

Patented May 8, i934 AT N O Harry Cohen, New York, N. Y. v Application September 27, 1932, Serial No. 635,109

4Claims.(

This invention relates to tourniquets. 1

The main object of the invention is to provide an instrument of this kind which is very simple in construction, easily applied to the limb of the patient and extremely effective.

Another object of the invention is to provide an instrument of this kind which will partially constrict a limb of a patient so as to make the veins below the constriction stand out prominently when making a medical test.

Another object of the invention is to provide an instrument of this kind having means to regulate the pressure of the gripping members exerted on the limb.

Another object of the invention is to construct the gripping members so that they will not cut or pinch the flesh of the patient.

Still'a further object of the inventionis to provide .a ratchet mechanism forv holding the 29 gripping members in the desired locked position and means to release the gripping members from the ratchet mechanism.

Dther objects will appear as the disclosure progresses. The drawing is intended to mere- 1y indicate a possible embodiment of the invention. It is obvious that the actual needs of manu- :tacture may necessitate certain mechanical changes. It is therefore not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated but rath 0 er to define such limits in the appended claims.

For a more general understanding of the invention attention is called to the drawing. In this drawing like reference characters denote a like parts throughout the specification.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front view of the tourniquet. Figure 2 is an edge view thereof.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is enlarged detail or the adjusting Figure 5 is a view of the bearing for theworm wheel showing the worm wheel in section.

Figure 6 is a view or a modified form of the Referring now to the drawing'in detail, numerals 1 and 2 designate a set of complementary members hinged together by the screw 3. Each of said members comprises a handle portion 4 and 0 5 terminating at the bottom into eyes 6 and 7 for the insertion of the fingers of the operator and at the upper ends into curved gripping members 8 and 9 adapted to fit the limb of the patient. The tips 10 and 11 of the gripping members are bent in the reverse direction to the normal curvature Cl. za- -szr) of the said members 'so as not to pinch the flesh or skin of the patient. 7 Attached to the handle 4 is an arc-like ratchet 12 having teeth 13 at the bottom face which are adapted'to engage with a worm wheel 14. Said worm wheel is mounted on the bearing 15 which is pivoted to the member 2 by the pin 16. Behind the bearing is a leaf spring 17 whose free end is adapted't'o urge the worm wheel into engagement with the teeth 13 of the ratchet l2. 5 Numeral .18 designates a lever keyed to the hearing against rotation and adapted to be operated by the thumb of the hand for swinging the gear wheel downwardly.

The instrument is applied to the limb or the patient by first fully opening the curved gripping members 8 and 9 for embracing the limb. The members 1 and 2 are then brought together thereby closing up.thecurved gripping members around the limb of I the patient. As the 76 members 1 and 2 are brought together the. worm wheel 14 will successively ride over the periphery of the ratchet teeth 13 and automatically lock itself against reverse movement. Now to obtain a stronger grip or stronger constriction of 80 the limb of the patient the curved gripping members can be brought more forcibly together by revolving the worm wheel -clockwise, the said worm wheel acting like the thread of a screw and bearing against the fiat face of the ratchet teeth-= 13. For the initial gripping of the limb the gripping members are brought together but to obtain a firmer grip the worm wheel mechanism is used. To release the grip of the curved members 8 and 9 it is not necessary to revolve the worm wheel anti-clockwise but simply to press the lever 18 downwardly by the thumb against the spring 17 so that the gear wheel will clear the ratchet. This downwardly position of the gear wheel is shown'in dotted lines in'Figure 4.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figure 6 is the same as that illustrated in Figgure 1 with the exception that the gripping member 19 leading from the complementary member 20 is'made straight while the gripping member 21 leading from the complementary 22 is curved similar to the member 9. Numeral 23 designates the pivoting screw connecting the two complementary members 20 and 22 together,

24 and 25 the eyes and 12 the arc-shaped ratchet for regulating the pressure of the gripping members and for keeping them in a set position. The worm gear mechanism is the same as that shown in Figure 1. This form of the invention is mainly adapted for operating on no patients when lying in bed. The straight gripping member 19 can easily be pushed underneath the patient's arm or leg without disturbing and without the necessity of raising his limb.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple and eflicient tourniquet which is easy to ply the necessary pressure the worm wheelmechanism is used. The device can be manipulated and adjusted-to any desired pressure with the fingers of one hand only and can easily andquickly be released without revolving the worm wheel. By moving the two eyes together the two gripping members will simultaneously move together and'vice versa, when the eyes are separated the gripping members will move away from each other. The worm wheel is adapted to float or swing with its bearing and can easily be released from engagement with the ratchet by pressing downwardly against the lea! spring.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination a pair. of pivotally connected members, an arcuate ratchet carried by one of said members and crossing the other member, said ratchet being concentric to the pivot of the members, a bell crank lever pivoted to said other member and having one arm extend-- ing along the member to form a finger piece, a worm wheel journalled on said bell crank lever, and a spring urging said worm wheel into engagement with the ratchet.

2. In combination a pair of pivotally connected members, an arcuate ratchet carried by one of said members and crossing the other member, said ratchet being concentric to the 1 pivot of the members, a bell crank lever pivoted to said other member and having one arm exof said members and crossing the other member,

said ratchet being concentric to the pivot oi. the members, a bell crank lever pivoted to said other member and havingone arm extending along the member to form a finger piece, a worm wheel jcurnalled on said bell crank lever, and a spring urging said worm wheel into engagement with the ratchet, said ratchet having teeth abruptly shouldered on the sides facing the member to which the ratchet is attached and the worm having a thread shouldered coactingly to the ratchet teeth.

4. In combination a pair of pivotally connected members, an arcuate ratchet carried by. one

of said members and crossing the other mem- 'member to which the ratchet is attached and the worm having a thread shouldered coactingly to the ratchet teeth, and finger grips on said pivoted members spaced to permit engagement oi the finger piece by a finger of one hand while a second finger of the hand is engaged in a finger grip.

HARRY COHEN.

1X? her, said ratchet being concentric to the pivot 

